Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic Announces Retirement From MMA

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (pictured) is apparently one-and-done in his second stint in the UFC. The 41-year-old announced late Monday night that a shoulder injury has forced him to pull out of his November 28 bout against Anthony Hamilton.

Filipovic didn’t stop there with the breaking news, he also said he’s retiring from the sport of mixed martial arts. This marks the second (and supposed final) time he’s hung up his MMA gloves.

“Dear friends, unfortunately I had to cancel the fight in Seoul. In the beginning of the preparation I already hurt my shoulder, so I couldn’t raise a hand. I tried to save a shoulder injury and repair in all possible ways: daily therapy, injections of blood plasma and various cocktails of drugs but didn’t work out,” Filipovic wrote on his official website. “I am aware that I have come to the end of my martial times, but training with pain I want no longer. My body is battered by countless trainings, I collected nine operations, the body has become prone to injury, after each workout I put ice on my knee operated on because it’s filled with fluid, therapies twice a week. The next fight would be 80th professional and that is a lot, especially in the competition: K-1, Pride, IGF, UFC. The biggest problem will be my adaptation to “civilian life”, without two workouts a day and the eternal journey around the world, and that [wouldn’t] fall so hard. I will train as long as I live because it’s my life, but not at this rate and I’m glad in some way.

“This is not a temporary decision because I was unhappy due to all of that, but it’s my final decision and it’s best for me. Sooner or later the time comes when a man has to think on the health. I had a really long and great career and I believe I left a deep mark in the martial arts, in a free fight and in K-1 and I have no regrets.”

Filipovic made his claim to MMA fame from his epic Pride FC scraps in Japan. His long-awaited and highly-anticipated UFC debut came in 2007 with a TKO victory over Eddie Sanchez.

It was pretty much all downhill for Filipovic from there. The once-deadly kickboxer went on to lose six of his next nine under the UFC’s watch.

Filipovic initially said he was retiring from MMA after losing to Roy Nelson at UFC 137, but returned to fight four more times, mostly in Japan.

Filipovic made a successful return to the octagon in April by posting a TKO victory over Gabriel Gonzaga.

The Croatian started his MMA career back in 2001. He compiled an extensive 31-11-2 (1 NC) record along the way.

Filipovic might be taking his talents away from MMA, but he can never take this away:

The UFC has yet to address Filipovic’s situation. It is unknown what they intend to do with Hamilton.